CAMPAIGNERS who battled at keep a village library open have won their funding bid to create a community centre in the building.

Pendle Council has agreed to give Fence Parish Council £4,000 to help turn some of Wheatley Lane Library into a village hall.

Half of the site will remain a library and the cash will be spent on renovating the building into the community facility and tidying up the outside. Coun John David, executive member for the environment today said he was delighted with the decision.

He said: "As well as turning some of the building into a village hall we also want to do a few things to the outside.

"The library will remain open and the other part will be used for village activities which is very good news."

The library had been earmarked for closure by the county council along with eight others across Lancashire to save about £140,000 a year.

However, it was given an eleventh hour reprieve after Pendle Council agreed to pay the £13,000-a-year running costs.

Among the campaigners was former branch librarian Shirley Ellis, who received an MBE for her services to the library.